The Definition of Freedom
by Evil's Worst Nightmare
Summary: The Akatsuki need to lay low, and Kisame has the perfect place. Too bad he's got entanglements from the past there. Dendei and Kaeda are old friends with torn and tattered pasts. What happens when love blooms in the most unlikely of places? HidanXOC
1. Nightmares and Returns

The Definition of Freedom

( \/\/\/\/\/\/: passage of time) (-/-/-/-:POV changed) (" ----" Talking)

( _Italics: _thought/flashbacks/dreams) ( --------:beginning/ end of chapter) ( ((---)): any comments from me)

Author's Note: So, this is my first story, and since my laptop is a-fucking-nnoying, I have to transfer this on a different comp. just to upload it. So updates will be slow. Anyway, fair warning: Lot's of swearing, funny situations, and MAYBE an adult scene WAAAAAAY down the road. i don't know, it's still a work in progress.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Naruto. god, I wish I did. if I did, believe me, that story would be going a Hell'uva lot different than it is now.

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_No, this could not be happening. Her head was dizzy, and her lungs burned as she forced down another breath. Not like this. Her feet sailed over the ground as she struggled to put more distance between herself and her pursuers. Branches snapped as she sped by, snagging and tearing what was left of her pitiful clothing. Slowing her down, slipping her up. She gathered her legs and what was left of her strength and leapt a fallen log, and then she came down wrong. Stumbling, she righted herself, trying desperately to ignore the stinging, throbbing pain of her ankle. _

_She had twisted it at the very least. Her large pack, containing all of her worldly possessions, thumped into her back with every stride. She chanced a look back, her blue eyes wide in fright. No, they were getting closer. She dodged around the trees of the dark forest, hell-bent on reaching the edge. If she could get past the forest…. she could escape, it would be over, and she could __**start **__over._

_He'd given his life for her, taken the knife meant for her heart. He'd pushed her, screamed at her to run, telling her he loved her as he had turned to face the mob. Tears traveled down her face, blurring her sight, dampening her ragged hair. She loved him, and wished they'd met under different circumstances. Why did her presence always cause those she loved pain? No more. If she lived, if she made it out alive, it would be a life of solitude from now on._

_Those rough voices were close now, shouting and screaming for her death. They wanted retribution for the blood that stained her clothes, and her thoughts. That bastard had had it coming. He'd come on to her, and she'd told him she wasn't interested. He then killed her family so she'd have no where to go._

_Howling filled her ears and interrupted her hateful train of thought. They'd let out the dogs, God damned hell hounds that they were. Those people __**really**__ wanted her dead. She began to push herself faster. She'd never make it at this pace. She stumbled again and went down, her face hitting the dirt. With a muffled sob, she clambered to her feet, ignoring her stinging wrists and knees. Some of the shouts were closer still, and if she looked back, she could see a villager here and there, weaving among the trees._

_"Get her! Get the murderin' hussy!" a rough male voice shouted. She ran faster, her arms and legs going numb as her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Then she saw it, the light. Praises to God, the end of the forest. She was close, so close. All she had to do was reach out, stretch a bit further, and…..A sharp snarl caused her to look around._

_A hell hound leapt at her, it's teeth bared and ready to kill, it red eyes aimed for her throat. It tackled her mere feet from her goal, and it reared it ugly head, prepared to strike, it's head descended, and…….._

With a gasp, she sat up, covered in a cold sweat and shaking. The half-moon shone mournfully down through her window, thrown open in hopes of negating the summer heat. With a strangled moan, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed as quietly as possible. After a few moments, she stood up from her futon and slipped softly down the stairs of her home and into the kitchen.

She poured herself a glass of water and as she gulped, she tried to banish the lingering shadows of her nightmare. That blasted scene had plagued her off and on for the past month, even though those exact events were now ten years gone. With a ragged sigh, she ran a hand through her shoulder length hair the color of a dying flame.

His face flickered through her mind, unbidden. He had loved her, no matter the age difference. He had been so good to her. Kikai. Even his name meant wonderful. She remembered the last time she had seen him. He stood proud, tall, even with the knife sticking out of his belly. She remembered his soft hair tickling her face as he'd kissed her that one time. Black as coal.

Soft, strong, wanting. His eyes had been as fiery as her hair, yet the warm chocolate color had been soft as he looked at her. He'd died to save her, as her family had. With a strangled sound, she reached a hand up to fondle the only thing of him she'd even kept. The necklace he had worn. It was masculine in every sense of the word, with dark colors and stoic beads. Only…at the center…

At the center of the necklace was the pendant she'd made for him, a bright white shell carved in the form of a bear. He had always admired the animal, and she had known it. She remembered how pleased she'd been to see him wear it, along with the smug pleasure of being hated by the other village women.

Oh, she'd been so naïve. She had thought he'd worn it to be nice, not that he'd loved her. Oh, if only she'd known sooner. Because of him, she had lived. Because of him, she had her freedom.

With a scornful sigh, the woman shook her head. _Look at me_,she thought, _Twenty-five, and still living in a fairy tale. I need to grow up._ With an angry growl, she put her glass away and climbed slowly back up the stairs to her futon. She snuggled under the covers as she gazed at the moon. She offered a silent prayer asking for escape from her nightmares. Before she'd even finished, she was asleep.

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Dendei was bouncy this morning. She was petite, small, and fragile looking, and if anyone had the ability to see beneath her smile, they would be presented with a torn and tattered soul. Her long, long black hair was twisted up in an intricate knot at the back of her head to keep it out of her soft brown eyes. She trotted along the road, happy for another day alive.

She was headed to work at the store she and Kaeda owned in the bustling port town of Shikijima. Her clothes were the store's uniform: loose, plain black pants; a soft, cream-colored peasant blouse that thankfully did not give the idiot patrons that came in to flirt a view, standard issue sandals, and a beautifully designed apron the breath-taking color a summer sunset with the store's name on the front. DK General Store & Pub.

Thankfully, she did not man the pub. Kaeda tended bar after the store closed down each night, and she herself sang on stage to entertain the passing travelers for a few extra coins. They needed every penny, too. Lately, the flow of travelers had dwindled to little dredges of the occasional rogue shinobi, or traveling merchant who made the mistake of offering to warm Kaeda's 'cold' hands (and other parts), and lost a few teeth for his pains.

She waved to some of her fellow villagers, who puttered around in the early morning light, preparing businesses and shops for the coming busy day. They waved back in varying degrees of interest. Kaeda hadn't been very popular with the men since she'd beaten the strongest man in the village to a near-death, bloody pulp for making a very unwelcome move on Dendei. Not that she cared. When ever she was asked why she didn't try for a man, she'd always shrug and say that love was pointless. Dendei sighed with exasperation as she continued her way up the relatively empty road.

Kaeda could be such a pain. Love was wonderful. Dendei should know, because she was in love. Very much in love, even if it was unrequited. And she hadn't seen him for two years now. He'd probably forgotten she even existed, considering the pitiful amount of attention he'd spared her when ever she tried to talk to him. He had been handsome in her eyes. Tall, rugged, and carrying a sword, that rogue shinobi had stolen her heart before she had even known it was gone. Not that he'd even known, by his treatment. Dendei sighed again, this time in loneliness. It was going to be another long day.

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"So, why are we following Jaws anyway, un?", asked a young male's voice from underneath a straw labor's hat with a few bells and streamers around the brim like everyone around him. They all also wore high collared black coats with the design of silver-lined red clouds. Another male voice drifted through the group, demanding everyone's attention and respect. "Because…we need to lay low for a few months." "But we can do that in pairs. Why all of us, un?" "Because Leader-sama said so, Deidara, now shut up.", Said a low, rough voice to the left. Deidara grumbled, but did not argue.

They walked a little while longer in silence before someone else spoke up. "Where are we going, Kisame????" A six foot sum-odd at the front of the group sighed. "For the _twelfth_ time, Tobi, Shikijima. It's a port town on the coast of some dinky little country that's too poor to afford shinobi. So we won't be found, if you can _shut up _for more than _five_ seconds." Tobi fell silent for all of six seconds before asking, "But why this Sticky-Java place? Why not somewhere else?"

Kisame growled, then lifted a blue skinned hand to rub his temples underneath his hat. "Because Leader asked if we had a safe place. I said yes. So we're going there. _Now_, if you don't _shut up_, I will string you from a tree by your lower intestine and leave you there." Needless to say, there was no more conversation after that.

_Will she remember me?_, he thought, _Heh, she's probably already moved on. Married maybe. She'll scream when she sees me. Call me a monster like everyone else. And I wonder if I can somehow keep Kaeda from kicking my ass… _He gave a mental snort._ …As if I'd be that lucky…_

His thoughts wandered off as his feet took him closer and closer to _**HER**_ with every step he took. Two years was a long time. He'd missed her.

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It was no problem to get rooms at a cheap price once they reached Shikijima. Apparently, business had been dwindling for the past eight months. For the price of one room, they got private rooms for all nine of them. Once each had claimed his preferred rooms, they met in Leader-sama's room to discuss any plans they might have.

Leader-sama shrugged. "We need to keep a low-I said _low,_ mind- profile for the next three months. What you do, as long as you don't draw too much attention to yourself or us, I don't fucking care." He then flopped down onto his bed, and began to ignore them, all. Without saying where he was going, Kisame left the room, collected his hat, and then stopped by the front desk to ask a little information of their hostess.

"Dendei and Kaeda? Oh, they'll be working by now.", the little old lady told him. He was silent waiting for her to go on. "They own the store and bar down the street. The one called DK's, for their initials you see. Just turn left once you get outside, and you can't miss it.", she said, pointing him to the door. He nodded his thanks, and strode out into the bright, sunny street.

The store was relatively easy to find. The sign itself was a big, bright colored eye sore. It was the color of a summer sunset, with the words: DK'S General Store & Pub. Really, they lacked subtlety. Kisame glanced over his shoulder to make sure Deidara or someone hadn't been curious enough to follow him. The last thing he needed was for the Akatsuki to know he was in love with someone. Hell, Deidara would piss himself from laughing so hard. And hopefully crack a rib.

Seeing no one, Kisame climbed the steps leading onto the store's porch, then opened the front door. He stepped inside a large room filled with anything you'd possibly find in a store, lit by the sunlight streaming through the open windows. It was attached to another room that had a bar, shelves of alcohol, and a small stage. Then a voice sounded from across the room that nearly made Kisame jump out of his skin.

"Good morning! How may I help you??" He slowly turned until he could see someone from underneath the brim of his hat. A petite woman with black hair and brown eyes. His muscles tensed unconsciously. She stood behind the counter of the store, leaning on it with her elbows. He took a covert glance at her left hand. No ring. He breathed a mental sigh of relief.

He took a deep breath, then turned fully towards her and walked slowly to the counter. Her head came nearly straight up, but he knew she couldn't see under his hat. He just stared at her, and she took a quick step back. "U-um…C-can I help you??", she asked again, clearly nervous. With a quick movement, she made as if to run away.

Suddenly, his body moving on it's own, one of his hands darted out to grasp her wrist. She nearly panicked. Twisting her wrist vainly this way and that, she tried to talk him into letting her go. "U-um, please let me go. I-it's not n-nice to grab, y'know." He said nothing, watching her terrified face. Well, at least she wasn't screaming yet.

She then twisted in a random direction and managed to tug Kisame slightly off balance. He felt his hat slip, and then slide off to show his face. He flinched, waiting for the inevitable shriek of terror. Leader-sama would _not _be pleased. But the scream never came, and it was deathly quiet inside the shop.

Kisame opened one eye, looking at Dendei to see why she hadn't screamed at the sight on him yet. She was staring at him with huge eyes, as though unable to believe what she was seeing. He released her like her hand had turned to fire. He was unprepared for what she did next.

With a loud shriek he registered as, "KISAME!", she flung herself around the counter and jumped on him, twining her arms around his neck. Then she kissed him. His brain shut down completely as his arms rose to wrap around her waist, holding her still.

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My jaw dropped and landed on the table with a loud and thourough 'CRACK' I was staring at a make-shift clay screen, where my spy-bird was broadcasting what it was seeing. And what it was seeing was getting perriously close to giving me a violent heart attack. Not kidding. What I was seeing should have been comical, but considering I never thought this could happen…yeah, let's not go there.

"There's no way in hell, un.", I managed to croak, as I gazed at the live feed of some small woman kissing…Kisame. Kissing _**Kisame**_! Am I still the only one having a big pre-coronary heart attack? Leader had to see this. Itachi too. I stood up with a jarring 'BANG', grabbed my portable little screen, and ran out of my room.

I burst into Itachi's room first. Why? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I was shocked enough to have a death wish at that moment. He was meditating when I shoved the shoji door aside, shouting at him.

"Stop meditating, and pay attention, un! You are not gonna believe this, yeah!" I said, reaching out to shake him. His hand snapped out, and grabbed the offending wrist, and tossed me back at the door. I grabbed the side of the door, still cradling the screen to my chest.

"I mean it, Itachi, un! As much as I hate you, you need to see this, yeah!", I cried, flinging myself back into the room. He opened his eyes, glaring at me, unhappy about me interrupting his meditation.

"Where's Kisame-san? And why are you yelling?", I bit back a smart retort about his politeness. Now was not the time. Instead, I shoved the screen at him.

"This is where your partner is, yeah! Take a look at that, un!" He gazed unemotionally at the screen, studying the frozen image of Kisame smooching his mystery girl. He was silent for so long that things got kinda awkward. I scuffed my foot on the floor, and cleared my throat. I was about to start gazing out the window when he stood up abruptly.

"Come.", he said as he swept out of the room. He traveled down the hall and knocked on the door outside Leader-sama's room. "What?", asked our leader's bored voice from inside his room.

"You need to see this, Leader-sama. Now.", Itachi answered, still sounding emotionless. Maybe there was something in his tone that I couldn't hear, but I heard a sharp 'BANG', a scuffle, and the shoji door slid back. Leader looked at Itachi.

"What is it?", he asked, seeming nonchalant. Itachi wordlessly held out my screen. Leader spared me a glance before looking at the screen. There were footsteps, and Kanon, Leader-sama's partner, appeared from around the corner.

"Pein, what is it?", she asked as she took the screen, looked at it, and then almost dropped it. It fell into an open hand. Hidan's. He glanced at it, then passed it to Kakuzu, who passed it to Tobi, who passed it to Zetsu. That creepy cannibal then handed my screen back, and we all looked at Leader. This was big, and we all pretty much admitted it. We were all silent for the longest time, no one knowing what to say. I decided to say something.

"So…what now, un?", I asked. Leader was silent for another moment before saying, "Looks like we'll just have to meet this mystery girl, won't we? And impress upon her the reasons she would not be happy seeing our colleague." He seized his hat, and turned to me.

"Deidara.", he said sharply. I almost jumped. "Lead the way." "Yes, Leader-sama." I murmured, then fled to grab my hat. Oh man, Kisame was gonna hate me till the end of time.

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"Well, as glad as I am to have you back, Fish-face, I would prefer it if you two didn't make-out in the middle of the shop floor.", I said at Dendei's back. They both froze, and then broke apart to stare at me in shock, and in Kisame's case, fear.

"Um…Kaeda….I-it's no…", Dendei started, but I held up a hand. "I told you I don't care. If you two are going to make-out-", I jerked my thumb in the direction of the back of the shop, "Please do so where I cannot see you, preferably in the storage room." They shared a look, then Kisame put Dendei down, she took his hand, and led him past me in the direction I had indicated.

As they passed, I gave Kisame's shoulder a friendly punch. "Welcome back, Lord Sushi.", I said, then I went to man the counter.

It couldn't have been more than ten minuets after I sent them to the back room, that eight members of the freak parade trooped through the store doors. I noticed with little interest that they had the same coats as Kisame on, and they all wore hats that could have been the clones of the one sitting on the counter. Dang. I grabbed it, and swept it beneath the counter, then I leaned on said counter with both of my elbows, and rested my head on one of my hands, the picture of a bored shop girl.

"Can I help you?", I asked, my tone drawling. A blond came forward and slapped his hand on the counter. I held back my scowl. I'd just polished the damn thing.

"Where is he, yeah?", he barked. I raised a hand and then smacked his appendage off the counter, noting that there was what looked like a mouth in the middle of his palm…weird, but then again, I did say they were members of the freak parade. So, I'll go with it.

"I just polished that counter, God damn it, and I would be ever so grateful if you didn't smear the gloss with your grubby, freak-parade hands, comprendo?", I couldn't help but snarl at him. He blinked his eyes, and then a different hand connected to a tall man with white hair snapped out to catch me by the throat and lift my 5' 10" and a half frame a good two inches off the floor. Reflexively, my hands came up to tug at the offending wrist as it slowly choked off my air supply.

"For a shop wench, you aren't very nice. Tell us where he is and we'll let you go. Okay, Muffin?", my captor asked, toying with me, his cold eyes promising something completely dif- DID HE JUST CALL ME 'MUFFIN'??!? OH HELL NO!!! With a choked snarl, I shot my leg up to kick him straight under the chin, causing his head to snap up and his hand to release my neck. He landed on the floor six feet away, on his head, and I landed half on top of the counter, clutching it for support with one hand and my throat with the other as I hacked and coughed from lack of air. After a few seconds of getting my breath back, I stood up and stopped leaning on the counter.

"Few things you could have done better.", I rasped. "One, make sure I'm not armed. For all you know, I could be a kunoichi. Two, get me out from behind the counter, and make sure I don't have anything down _there_. Three, grabbing is rude, no matter who does it. And four…", I smirked, "Don't _ever _call me 'Muffin'."

The white haired guy was up with a snarl, and I lowered into a fighting stance, but as he lunged at me, a very familiar voice said, "Oi, Hidan. Lay off her if you don't want your ass kicked half-way to Konoha in eight different pieces." Hidan slid to halt about six inches away from me, and turned his head to glare, and then gape, at a lip-stick covered Kisame and a giggling Dendei.

I stepped out of my stance and pulled a handkerchief from my pocket, then offered it to him. "Uh, Sharky, you gotta a little smudge there on you cheek…and your nose….and your other cheek….and your chin….and…you get it.", I said, trying to keep my face straight enough to be dignified. He snapped the little cloth square out of my hand, gave Dendei an apologetic glance, and then began to scrub the marks off as hard as he could. Dendei and I leaned against each other, holding our ribs against the violent giggles.

A few moments later, we were on the receiving end of a sea creature's death glare. "What's the matter, Lord Sushi? Can't a girl wear-", I collapsed into a peal of giggles before finishing, "-lipstick?" Yes, Dendei and I found this terribly funny. And we were still laughing when our shop helper burst through the door at that exact time, three hours late. Dendei and I reacted at the same time, and he got reprimanded in stereo.

"Kohaku! You're late! Again!", we shouted together as we each brought a fist down on his lazy head. Which sent him flying down to the floor on his ass. "OWWWW!", he yelled, nursing the two large bumps on his head, and giving us a dirty look, "That hurt, you old hags!!!" Yes, I'm very aware that all of you ladies reading this will probably be wanting us to beat the shit out of him. And Dendei hates to disappoint.

"What was that, you little brat??", she asked, yanking on his ear like she was willing to pull it off. I looked at Kisame, who seemed a little freaked out by her violence.

"You were expecting a docile little kitten? And they say Dendei was living in a fantasy world.", I said with a snort.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!", Kohaku yelled, pulling at Dendei's hand, his green eyes screwed up in pain behind his green colored bangs. Yes, his hair was green. No, it wasn't dyed. That kid's a walking oddity, and that's one of the reasons we hired him. With a sigh, I gently pulled Dendei off of Kohaku.

"He'll be all the more worthless if you pull an ear off, D. Just bruise his face a little, then put him on inventory. Yeesh.", I said, before turning and sauntering through the store and out the back door for some peace and quiet. Well, I would have, if some tactless idiot in an orange swirled mask had not commented.

"Hey, that necklace! Tobi has seen it before! The owner's looking for it now!" My body froze, each and every muscle coming to be encased in ice. Slowly, I turned, and I stared at him, trying to work my throat enough for speech.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken. The person who owned this necklace before me has been dead ten years. Perhaps it was a similar necklace." , I said after a few moments. "Nope! Tobi knows Kikai would never lie to him! Kikai is a good boy!", the idiot kept at it, obviously smiling behind his mask. I had to struggle to breathe, and then swallow. As I opened my mouth to answer, The blond spoke again. "Oh, yeah. Kikai-san, yeah."

"W-when did you…last see him…?", I croaked, hope and fear rising and mixing in my chest. The room had gone strangely silent, and I couldn't see or hear anyone else. The pair were staring a me in a curious fashion, and I'm sure I looked ridiculous, a hopeful female.

"Eight months ago, un. Why?" I was quivering, I could feel it, and I couldn't stop the smile or the tears that slowly covered my face. He was alive, he had survived, and he was searching for our necklace. My hand slowly rose to latch gently onto that little item, and I silently cried in thankfulness to any higher powers that were listening.

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End note: ok, Iknow that was lame, but it's a work in progress. It'll get better. And please review, and make suggestions on how you think I can do better. I want to know what I can do to improve. it might also motivate nme to update fatser. -big puppy eyes-


	2. Surprise Appearances

The Definition of Freedom

( _Italics :_thought/flashbacks/dreams) (-- beginning/ end of chapter, and change of scene) ( **A/N** : any comments from me)

**Author's** **note:** Maybe I should say something. The name, Kikai, has a couple of significant meanings in this story. It can mean 'Wonderful', and it can also mean 'An opportunity', which Kikai is to Kaeda indeed. This has no reference to shino and his Kikai bugs. They don't mean the same thing, promise!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, all the men would be required to walk around naked. (Well, the hot ones anyway...)

--(Dendai's POV)--

"Whoa. Who's Kikai and who is he to Kaeda. Seriously.", I said, watching my friend as she floated around the bar, ten minuets before opening as I gently applied make-up. I sat with the Akatsuki as I asked this question. Kisame shrugged. God, I love his shoulders, so broad. The blonde, Deidara, spoke up, interrupting my delicious train of thought..

"No idea who he is to your little friend, but he's a swordsman for hire we met on the road, yeah. he and his buddies were lookin' for a little girl with red hair and blue-", he stopped, seeming to get it, as he turned his head and openly stared at Kaeda. Any other time, he would have been given a split lip, a black eye, and a bloody nose for the way her looked at her, but today she just smiled and went about polishing the bar.

My eyebrows nearly shot through the roof (Glad they didn't. I'm not sure if we could've afforded the repair bill...). "You got a picture of this guy?" I got an, 'Are you an idiot?' look from every male at the table. I shook my head.

"No, seriously. Kaeda would have beaten you shit-less any other day for looking at her like that. Now, she just smiled. This guy must be _something_!"

Kisame nodded.

"You wouldn't believe how many times she's kicked my ass. She frightens me, a swordsman of bloody mist, to pissing my pants on regular occasions. He must be something' to be loved by the Hell-cat over there."

He shook he head, as if unbelieving. Lord, he has the best face, and to all the women who don't agree, well, less of you to steal him, then.

--(Kaeda's POV)--

I hummed as I poured a young man from the village a drink in time to Dendei's singing. She was happy that Kisame was back. You could tell because her songs had gone from slow and sad to upbeat rock that had brought the women in to dance and have a good time along with the men. Not that I'm complaining. Money's been getting tight, so this should really help.

_"Rock this world_

_Read my lips and watch 'em curl_

_Rock this world_

_It don't take much to please this girl-"_

It was then that three cloaked figures entered with a tingle of the door bell. I looked up and smiled a welcome. The center figure actually stoped mid-step, and I could feel their gaze acutely on my face. I tilted my head to the side and smiled again.

"Is everything alright?", one of his companions murmured, a woman, by the musical lilt to the voice.

Something about her voice pulled at the back of my mind. There was something familiar about that voice...The figures themselves were familiar, just the way they stood. The threesome aproached the bar, and they reached it at the same time as Kisame. I looked up at Kisame first, and took in his worried face. I frowned immediatly.

"What's wrong? What's the face?"

"How adverse are you to cleaning up a dead and mangled body?" My three mystery customers started, but I simply pursed my lips.

"Ano...depends on why there would be need for me to clean up that sort of mess..." Kisame sneered and jerked his thumb over his shoulder at some out of town newbie that was starting to harass Dendei, who'd just sat down for a break. The second he put his arm around her shoulders and bent down to whisper in her ear, I looked back at Kisame and nodded.

"Not adverse at all. In fact, may I help?" His grin was feral as he pushed away from the bar and started for the dead man across the room.

"Naw. I got it, Hell Cat, but thanks."

"Oi, Kisame!", he turned to look at me over his shoulder, his eyebrow raised. I jerked my chin at the door.

"We don't have enough money to be doing extensive repairs. If you're going to do any heavy damage, take it _outside_. Or I will take it out of your ass. Comprendo?"

He gave a chuckle as he resumed walking toward his target, his only response of compliance coming in the two finger salute he gave over his shoulder. I turned to look at my new customers, who were hanging close to the door end of the bar. _Very_ close to the door. Not that I could blame 'em. That converastion probably would have weirded out most people.

"Hey, guys? For your own safety, I'd really advise that you move in about...ten seconds..."

But, before I could finish, an very stupid young man-turned-missile came flying towards us. The first cloaked figure was still turned towards me, and couldn't see the threat. Their female companion cried out, and reached out, but I reacted first. I jumped over the bar and tackled one of the stangers-just in time. The above mentioned idiot went sailing along the whole length of the bar table, fell off with a thump, and his momentum carried him rolling out the door and into the street. After him stalked a _very_ pissed off Kisame. I almost felt sorry for the guy. Note: I said _almost_!

As the door closed after Kisame, loud sounds of crunching bones followed, along with screams of agony. I sighed as I shifted to look at who I'd just saved from an early death. I looked down at the young man, and my breath stopped as I took in black hair and brown eyes. Very _familiar_ brown eyes. He was grining at me. That same old grin that always made you feel like you were the funniest thing in the world. I was off of him in a flash and backing away. _This wasn't possible!,_ I thought as he, too, got up.

"Kaeda?", Dendei called, "Is everything ok?"

She got up and trotted over, then looked from me to him. Then back at me. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but she was interrupted by a black blur that tackled my illusion to the floor.

"Kikai-chan! Tobe is a good boy! He told the scary lady you'd come!!"

He was up then, and draging Kikai towards the table, then shoving him into a chair. I, on the other hand, turned to the two other figures. One was male, one was female, and in an instant, I knew them.

"Hiromu, Satara. Been a while, my fellow misfits.", I smirked, "You guys were supposed to be dead too, if my memory serves me correctly..."

The hoods were thrown back to reveal a tall, beautiful woman possesing dark skin, beautiful black hair, and gentle blue eyes. The other traveler was a skinny guy with tousled blonde hair and lively black eyes. The both smiled at me, their childhood faces reflecting their faces now in my memory. Satara stepped foward and threw her arms around me, followed swiftly by Hiromu. I giggled, so glad to have them back, and not even aware that the bar had gone still and silent. But not from us, oh no. Kisame had come back in, dripping little crimson rivers. I turned and looked at the puddle he made on the floor, then stuck my tongue out at him, as my arms were otherwise engaged. He bared his teeth in a huge grin.

"Poor bastard. I hope he had enough money to afford the proper funeral..."

"He did. But not now.", Kisame said with a smirk as he held up a very large wad of cash-which he deposited on the bar in a small puddle of blood.

"A small...donation...in return for the clean up."

I smirked. Interesting enterprise, that.

"Oh, goodness!!" Satara cried, disengaging herself from me. Then, with a few quick martial arts looking moves, she siphoned the blood off of a surprised looking Kisame, and out the still open door to land on the crumpled mess that it belonged to. I gave an admiring whistle.

"Nice form. You've been practicing."

Satara smiled, and stepped out of her stance. Kisame raised one blue eyebrow.

"Is _this_ the water bender you said used to beat your ass?", he asked with a grin.

I glared at him.

"Mind that you take proper notice of the words 'used to', Fish boy, or I'm _**going**_ to _**kick**_ yours." Kisame flipped me the double bird as he walked back towards Dendei at the table, who was eyeing Kikai appreciatively. As I looked around, I noticed so were a bunch of other females.

_**Oh. HELL. No.**_

With a growl, I strode over to where Kikai was talking with Deidara, and leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear-

"Y'know, you have a fine way of saying hello after ten years. I guess you don't love me after all."

I smirked and straightened up.

"Well then, maybe Hiromu, or Jin have some loving they'd be willing to give me, ne?"

I made as if to walk away, but a strong hand grabed my arm and swung md back around into an unyeilding chest. I heard some of the village men groan.

"Poor guy!"

"He's a gonner..."

"Dead man walkin'."

I smirked and raised an eyebrow. Kikai cocked his head to the side for a moment for for he pressed his lips to mine in a soft and chaste kiss. I frowned, and pushed him away. The hell! Did he think I'd stayed so innocent as to think that kind of kiss was acceptable? Not an _**effing**_ chance...

"What, did you think that I'd be content with _**that**_?! Gimme a _break_, Kikai. This is how you kiss!"

I leaned over, grabbed the back of the head of Hidan, the idiot who pissed me off earlier this morning, and lip-locked him a fierce tongue kiss that he half seemed to enjoy. There were gasps and mutters from Satara and some of the villagers as I sat down in his lap. Then I nipped sharply on his bottom lip, making it bleed, before I escaped. I turned to look at a now murderous Kikai, and crossed my arms triumphantly over my chest.

"_**THAT'S**_ how you kiss, Virgin.", was my smug rejoinder that echoed slightly throughout the silent room. I tasted blood, and raised my thumb to wipe it from my lip, before placing the apendage in my mouth and licking it clean. Hidan may have made a noise, but I wasn't sure. All that mattered was the stunned look on Kikai's face.

Score one for the girls!

--

"I cannot honestly believe you did that!"

That was Satara, over the the right, a glass of water in her hand. Everyone else was drinking alcohol, but not Ms. Prissy-Ice-Shard-Up-Her-Ass. Kaeda gave a long suffering sigh over her glass of vodka.

"I can't understand why not. Satara, it's been ten fuckin' years. What did you expect, when I live in a town like this?"

Satara gave a sniff of disapproval, and Kaeda snorted, before flipping her the bird, and getting an outraged shriek in return. I giggled over my beer as I leaned into Kisame. It was near four in the morning, and we'd just closed the bar. Tomorrow was Sunday, so I'd be able to sleep as long as I liked; The store was closed on Sunday.

"I have to admit, you've really changed, Kaeda. It's just a surprise to the three of us. W've been looking for the little girl you used to be, and here you are...all grown up and filled out _very_ nicely."

That would be Hiromu, who was nice, but a little perverted. He had a shot of whiskey in his hand, and another four empty shots next to his right arm. Kaeda simply stuck her tongue out at him.

She then turned to Kikai, who had an open beer in in his hand, and was pouting. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Good Kami, Kikai. It was a freakin' kiss. Get a grip. You brought it on your self, y'know."

He looked up at her, and as their gazes locked, silence fell around the table. Finally, Kikai sighed and looked around with a small smile.

"Still stubborn to a fault, I see."

And Kaeda did something so strange, I nearly dropped my own beer. She _giggled_!! **Like a little girl!! **Oh, wow. I had no clue she could do that.

"Of course. It's what I'm good at." , she said with a laugh.

I had to smile. I like this new side of Kaeda.

--

**A/N-**Okay, there ya go. No as long as my Itachi one, but it's there. I hope you enjoy it, and I promise that I'll be updating soon. After all, now I have time!! Anyway, I want to hear from you. What did you like, what could I do better? Tell me, and Review!!


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